Happy Birthday Brande!

Brande, my first baby, is thirty years old today. How does that happen? I remember that day like it was yesterday. I drove myself to the hospital with Mr.Wonderful sitting shotgun. He wasn't the best driver and we had to go around the "traffic circle" in Long Beach, so I took the wheel. They induced labor, they broke the water, but no baby, until almost 24 hours later. My mom spent the night, and as you see above, the new Grandma couldn't be happier! Brande Rene had entered the world at 9:34 pm, 8lb 1oz on May 16th, 1979.

"in a blink of the eye, it's Brande's first Christmas"

"in the blink of an eye, it's her first birthday"

"in the blink of an eye, her Aunt Teri comforts her, the same way Aunt Brande comforts Riley today"


"in the blink of an eye, Katie is born, and Brande becomes a big sister on Dec.17,1981"

"in the blink of an eye, on Oct.1st, 1983, she is a big sister again when Bryce is born"

"in the blink of an eye, she looks at her sister & brother and wonders, "why couldn't I have been an only child"

"then, in a blink of an eye, life passes so quickly, "pony pictures",

"dance lessons",


"family vacations"

"birthdays roll by at an unbelieveable speed"

"then our babies grow-up, a tattoo in memory of her Gramma Johnnye",

"then they are forced to grow-up faster, as Brande helps her Papa with Riley a couple of months before he passed away",

"friends weddings",

"and, in the blink of an eye, she's now Aunt Brande, in love with Riley, there to help her when she needs help",

I never take for granite the time I spend with my kids, because "in a blink of the eye" here I am thirty years later, and I couldn't be prouder of my daughter, "Happy Birthday", I love you, MOM

I wrote the above blog post a year ago. Where has the time gone as my oldest is 31 years old today? We will celebrate Brande's birthday at dinner tonight with Morgan joining us! And next year when we celebrate Brande's birthday, we will have another small little person at the table, Katie's baby boy! Time, it's all about "in the blink of an eye"!. Make the time for those you love, and hey Brande, thanks for turning out to be such a great kid, happy birthday!!